Post on 31-Dec-2015
Fuel poverty
update
Carbon Action Network
5 February 2014
London
Dr Brenda Boardman, MBE, FEI
Emeritus Fellow
Lower Carbon FuturesEnvironmental Change Institute
University of Oxford
Résumé
• 31,100 EWD last winter• Fuel price increase of 10% (£120)
reduced to £50 increase by prolonging ECO
• Real income of the poorest people declining
• Fuel poor are hard (and expensive) to identify
Energy efficiencyEnglish housing (SAP09)
2001 2011
Social sector 52.1 62.9Private sector 45.3 55.4
Average 46.7 56.7
English Housing Survey, Homes 2011 (2013) DCLG Table 4.1
Rates of insulation
CWI LI SWI
2012 (CERT & CESP)
637,000 1,302,000 77,000
2013 (ECO, GD) 163,000 132,000 25,000
Change -74% -90% -68%
EBR and ACE (2014), Fuel poverty: 2014 update, p7
Low incomeLow energy
costs15%
High income Low energy
costs35%
Low incomeHigh energy
costs11%
High income High energy
costs39%
LIHC – new fp definition
Households in fuel povertyEngland
2013 2014 Change
Old definition
3.9m 4.82m +24%
New definition
2.35m 2.46m +5%
EBR and ACE (2014), Fuel poverty: 2014 update, p3-4
Fuel poor pensioners
• 32% of all households
• 25% of fuel poor (new definition)
• 49% of fuel poor (old definition
2013-14
• Decreasing with new definition
• Increasing with old
Local Authority tasks
• HHSRS / minimum standards
• Health and Wellbeing Boards
• HECA
• Prepare for privately-rented, no F & G
• Landlord register
• Complete EPC coverage
• Decent Homes 2
Area based approaches
• Low Carbon Zones (Warm Zone +)
• One per local authority
• Local authority co-ordinates
• Works closely with community groups
• Street-by-street
• SAP 81 or better (A/B on EPC)
Working with communities
• Community groups act as go-between
• Protect and speak for low-income residents
• Arrange advice and non-standard measures
• Are trusted
• Help incorporate all households
Synergies: fuel poverty and climate change
• Poorest people concentrated in worst housing
• Upgrade to super energy-efficient, low-carbon housing
• Fuel poverty = SAP 81 @ 6,500 pa per local authority
• Climate change = SAP 100 @ 750,000 pa